High-profile journalist and Indigenous spokesman Stan Grant was due to speak Saturday afternoon in a hotly-anticipated session entitled Talking to My Country.

Grant recently gained national attention when a video of him giving a passionate speech on Australian identity and racism went viral.

Festival artistic director Ailsa Brackley du Bois said Grant was no longer able to attend due to the exciting news he had been appointed to the Prime Minister of Australia’s Referendum Council on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Ms Brackely du Bois said Indigenous singer, songwriter, author, playwright and musician Richard Frankland would be a strong replacement and last-minute addition.

“While we were all looking forward to hearing Stan speak of his experience shaping the Aboriginal rights agenda in Australia, Richard is also an influential figure in this same political landscape. We are delighted he can join us,” she said.

Frankland is a Gunditjmara man, and was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2011 and 2013.

He was also a finalist for the Human Rights Medal in 2013 and is an acclaimed musician. Notably, Frankland and his band Djaambi supported recently-deceased pop superstar Prince on his 1991 Diamonds and Pearls Australian tour.

Frankland will speak with Sean Gorman from Curtin University on Saturday at 2.30pm at Clunes’ St Thomas Aquinas Church.

Following Frankland’s talk will be a session with Clunes Booktown other festival headliner – former Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh, who will speak on her memoir Through the Wall: Reflections on Leadership, Love and Survival.

The Clunes Booktown festival runs throughout Saturday and Sunday, with talks from more than 40 guest authors, the largest trade fair of rare, collectable and second-hand books in Australia, exhibitions, a kids village and more.

For more details about the weekend’s program, visit www.clunesbooktown.com.au

Festival Passes are $10 for the entire weekend and are available at the gates or via www.trybooking.com/KSVJ